COMPILATION OF Past ME Board Problems

1. Find the value of k for which x + 4 is a factor of x 3 + 2x2 - 7x + k

2. Find the remainder when x4 - 10x2 - 9x - 20 is divided by x - 4.
3. Solve for the values of x, y and z for the given equations:

2x - y + 3z = -3 1

3x + 3y - z = 10 2

x-y+z=-4 3

4. The sum of Kim's & Kevin's ages is 18. In 3 years, Kim will be twice as old as Kevin. What are their ages
now?
5. A merchant has three items on sale, namely a radio for P 50.00, a clock for P 30.00 and a flashlight for
P 1.00. At the end of the day, he has sold a total of the three items and has taken exactly P 1,000.00 on
the total sales. How many radios did he sell?
6. Find the 30th term of an A.P. 4,7,10 …
a. 91
b. 90
c. 88
d. 75
7. A stack of bricks has 61 bricks in the bottom layer, 58 bricks in the second layer, 55 bricks in the third
layer and so until there are 10 bricks in the last layer. How many bricks are there together?
a. 638
b. 637
c. 640
d. 639
8. Determine the sum of the progression if there are 7 arithmetic mean between 3 and 35.
a. 171
b. 182
c. 232
d. 216
9. Find the sum of the first 10 terms Of the geometric progression 2, 4, 8, 16,...
a. 1023
b. 2046
c. 225
d. 1596
10. Once a month, a man put some money into the cookie jar. Each month he put 50 centavos more into
the jar than the month before. After 12 years he counted his money; he had P 5436. How much money
did he put in the jar in the last month?
a. P 73.50
b. P 75.50
c. 74.50
d. 72.50
11. Find the geometric mean of 64 and 4
a. 16
b. 34
c. 32
d. 28
12. The seventh term is 56 and the 12 th term is -1792 of the geometric progression. Find the ratio and the
first term. Assume the ratios are equal.
a. - 2, 5/8
b. - 1, 5/8
c. - 1, 7/8
d. - 2, 7/8
13. Find the sum of the infinite geometric progression 6, -2, 2/3 , . . .
 a. 9/2
b. 5/2
c. 11/2
d. 7/2
14. Find the sum of 1, - 1/3 , 1/25 , . . .
a. 5/6
b. 2/3
c. 0.84
d. 0.72
15. Find the ratio of an infinite geometric series if the sum is 2 and the first term is 1/2.
a. 1/3
b. ½
c. 3/4
d. 1/4
16. Factor the expression x2 + 6x + 8 as completely as possible?
a. ( x + 8)( x - 2)
b. ( x + 4)( x - 2)
c. (x + 4)( x + 2)
d. ( x - 4)( x - 2)
17. Find the value of x in the equation 24x 2 + 5x - 1 = 0
a. (1/6, 1)
b. (1/6, 1/5)
c. (1/2, 1/5)
d. (1/8, -1/3)
18. Find the value of k of the equation x2 + kx + 4 = 0, so that the roots are equal.
a. ±4
b. ±8
c. ±12
d. ±2
19. If the roots of the equation are 1 and 2. What is the quadratic equation?
a. x2 - 3x + 2 = 0
b. x2 - 3x - 2 = 0
c. x2 + 3x + 2 = 0
d. x2 + 3x – 2 = 0
20. In the expansion of ( x + 4y )12 ,the numerical coefficient of the 5th term is :
a. 63,360
b. 126,720
c. 506,880
d. 253,440
21. The polynomial x3 + 4x2 - 3x + 8 is divided by x - 5 , then the remainder is:
a. 175
b. 140
c. 218
d. 200
22. Find the remainder if we divide 4y3 + 18y2 + 8y - 4 by (2y + 3 ).
a. 10
b. 11
c. 15
d. 13
23. Find the rational number equivalent to repeating decimal 2.35242424...
a. 23273/9900
b. 23261/990
c. 23289/9900
d. 23264/9900
24. Find the 1987th digit in the decimal equivalent to starting from decimal point.
a. 8
 b. 1
c. 7
d. 5
25. What is the lowest common factor of 10 and 32.
a. 320
b. 2
c. 180
d. 90
26. The sum of Kim's and Kevin's ages is 18. In three years, Kim will be twice as old as Kevin. What are their
ages now?
a. 4, 14
b. 5, 13
c. 7, 11
d. 6, 12
27. What time after 3 o'clock will the hands of the clock be together for the first time?
a. 3:16.36
b. 3:14.32
c. 3:12.30
d. 3:17.37
28. The difference of the squares of the digits of a two digit positive number is 27. If the digits are reversed
in order and the resulting number subtracted from the original number, the difference is also 27. What
is the original number? then;
a. 63
b. 54
c. 48
d. 73
29. Ten less than four times a certain number is 14. Determine the number.
a. 6
b. 7
c. 8
d. 9
30. Jojo bought a second hand BetaMax VCR and then sold it to Rudy at a profit of 40%. Rudy then sold the
VCR to Noel at a profit of 20%. If Noel paid P 2,856 more than it cost to Jojo, how much did Jojo paid
for the unit?
a. P 4,000
b. P 4,100
c. 4,200
d. 4,300
31. Ten liters of 25% salt solution and 15 liters of 35% salt solution are poured into a drum originally
containing 30 liters of 10 % salt solution. What is the percent concentration in the mixture?
a. 19.55 %
b. 2215%
c. 27.05 %
d. 25.72 %
32. The boat travels downstream in 2/3 of the time as it does going upstream. If the velocity of the river
current is 8 kph, determine the velocity of the boat in still water.
a. 40 kph
b. 30 kph
c. 50 kph
d. 60 kp
33. A batch of concrete consisted of 200 lbs fine aggregates, 350 lbs coarse aggregate, 94 lbs cement, and
5 gallons of water. The specific gravity of sand and gravel maybe taken as 2.65 and that of the cement
as 3.10. How much weight of cement is required to produce one cubic yard?
a. 765 lbs
b. 657 lbs
c. 675 lbs
 d. 567 lbs
34. Dalisay Corporation's gross margin is 45% of sales. Operating expenses such as sales and
administration are 15% of sales. Dalisay is in 40% tax bracket. What percent of sales is their profit after
taxes?
a. 18%
b. 5 %
c. 24%
d. 0 %
35. A club of 40 executives, 33 likes to smoke Marlboro, and 20 likes to smoke Phillip Moris. How many like
both?
a. 13
b. 10
c. 11
d. 12
36. A and. B working together can finish painting a home in 6 days. A working alone can finish it in five
days less than B. How long will it take each of them to finish the work alone?
a. 10, 15
b. 15, 20
c. 20, 25
d. 5, 10
37. Given that "w" varies directly as the product of x and y and inversely as the square of z, and that w = 4,
when x = 2, y = 6 and z = 3. Find the value of "w” when x = 1, y = 4 and z = 2.
a. 2
b. 3
c. 4
d. 5
38. A merchant has three items on sale, namely a radio for P 50, a clock for P 30 and a flashlight for
P1.00. At the end of the day, he has sold a total of 100 of the three items and has taken exactly P 1000
on the total sales. How many radios did he sell?
a. 16
b. 20
c. 18
d. 24
39. The third term of a harmonic progression is 15 and the 9 th term is 6. Find the 11th term?
a. 4
b. 5
c. 6
d. 7
40. What is, the sum of the coefficients of the expansion of ( 2x — 1 ) 20
a. 0
b. 1
c. 2
d. 3
41. Find the ratio of the infinite geometric series if the sum is 2 and the first term, is 1/2.
a. 1/3
b. 1/2
c. 3/4
d. 1/4
42. Determine the sum of the infinite series : S = 1/3 + 1/9 + 1/27 + … + (1/3)n
a. 4/5
b. 3/4
c. 2/3
d. 1/2
43. Determine the sum of the positive valued solution to the simultaneous equations: xy = 15, yz = 35, zx =
21.
a. 15
 b. 13
c. 17
d. 19
44. The areas of two squares differ by 7 sq. ft and their perimeters differ by 4 ft. Determine the sum of
their areas.
a. 25 sq.ft
b. 27 sq.ft
c. 28 sq.ft
d. 22 sq.ft
45. A bookstore purchased a bestselling book at P 200.00 per copy. At what price should this book be sold
so that, giving a 20% discount, the profit is 30 %.
a. P 347
b. P 280
c. P 325
d. P 350
46. In a certain community of 1,200 people, 60% are literate. Of the males, 50% are literate, and of the
females 70% are literate. What is the female population?
a. 850
b. 500
c. 550
d. 600
47. Gravity causes a body to fall 16.1 feet in the 1st second, 48.3 in the 2nd second, 80.5 in the 3rd
second, and so on. How far did the body fall during the 10th second?
a. 248.7 ft
b. 308.1 ft
c. 241.5 ft
d. 305.9 ft
48. In a commercial survey involving 1,000 persons on brand preference, 120 were found to prefer brand x
only, 200 prefer brand y only, 150 prefer brand z only, 370 prefer either brand x or y but not z, 450
prefer brand y or z but not x, and 420 prefer either brand z or x but not y. How many persons have no
brand preference, satisfied with any of the 3 brands?
a. 230
b. 280
c. 180
d. 130
49. The electric power which a transmission line can transmit is proportional to the product of its design
voltage and current capacity, and inversely to the transmission distance. A 115 kilovolt line rated at
1000 amperes can transmit 150 Megawatts over 150 km. How much power, in Megawatts, can a 230
kilovolt line rated at 1,500 amperes transmit over 100 km? M
a. 785
b. 485
c. 675
d. 595
50. The number x, 2x + 7, 10x - 7 forms a Geometric Progression. Find the value of x.
(x-4 )(x+ 5 )= 0
a. - 5 & - 3/7
b. 7 & 7/ 6
c. 7 & -7/6
d. 8 & 3/7
51. Solve for x: 10x2 + 10x + 1 = 0
a. - 0.113, - 0.887
b. - 0.113 , - 0.788
c. - 0.331 , - 0.788
d. - 0.311 , - 0.887
52. Solve for x : x=√ (20 ¿−x) ¿
 a. 4, -5
b. -4, -5
c. -4, 5
d. No solution
53. Find the sum of the sequence 25, 30, 35, . . .
a. 2/5 (n2 + 9n)
b. 5/2 (n2 + 9n)
c. 9/2 (n2 + 5n)
d. 9/2 (n2 - 5n)
54. If the sum is 220 and the first term is 10, find the common difference if the last term is 30.
a. 2
b. 5
c. 3
d. 2/3

55. Given 2 x 2 matrix [ 97 48] , Find its determinant.

a. 31
b. 44
c. -20
d. 20
56. If 15 people won prizes in the state lottery, in how many ways can these 15 people win first, second ,
third, fourth , and fifth prizes?
a. 4,845
b. 116,280
c. 360,360
d. 3,003
57. How many 4 digits number can be formed without repeating any digit from the following digits: 1, 2, 3,
4, and 6?
a. 120
b. 130
c. 140
d. 150
58. In how many ways can a set of 6 distinct books be arranged in a bookshelf?
a. 720
b. 120
c. 360
d. 180
59. How many permutations are there if the letters PNRCSE are taken a time?
a. 5040
b. 140
c. 720
d. 24
60. What is the number of permutations of the letters in the word BANANA?
a. 36
b. 60
c. 52
d. 42
61. In how many ways can 3 MARINES and 4 ARMIES be seated on a bench if the ARMIES must be seated
together?
a. 640
b. 720
c. 576
d. 144
62. Four different colored flags can be hung in a row to make coded signal. How many signals can be made
if a signal consists of the display of one or more flags.
 a. 64
b. 66
c. 68
d. 62
63. How many four digit numbers can be formed by the use of the digits 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 7 if one digit is
used only once in one number?
a. 240
b. 320
c. 280
d. 360
64. There are four balls of four different colors. Two balls are taken at a time and arranged in a definite
order. For example if a white and a red ball are taken, one definite arrangement is white first, red
second and another arrangement is red first, white second. How many such arrangements are
possible?
a. 24
b. 6
c. 12
d. 36
65. A factory building has six entrance doors. In how many ways can a person enter and leave; i) by any
door ii) by a different door
a. 30, 36
b. 36, 30
c. 6, 5
d. 36, 6
66. Three A, B, and C get into a bus that has six vacant seats on each side. In how many ways can they be
seated if A insists on sitting on the right side?
a. 660
b. 720
c. 530
d. 410
67. A group of 6 speakers consists of 2 politicians and 4 lawyers who are not politicians. In arrangements
for a speaking order at a meeting, the politicians will speak in succession and the lawyers in succession.
In how many ways can the order be arranged?
a. 69
b. 138
c. 96
d. 192
68. In how many ways can 4 boys and 4 girls be seated alternately in a row of eight chairs?
a. 576
b. 1152
c. 1728
d. 288
69. In how many ways can a PSME chapter with 15 Directors, choose a President, a Vice-President, a
Secretary, a Treasurer, and an Auditor, if no member can hold more than one position?
a. 15
b. 3,003
c. 36,060
d. 360,360
70. A PSME unit has 10 ME's, 8 PME's and 6 CPM's. If a committee of 3 members one from each group is to
be formed, how many such committees can be formed?
a. 260
b. 380
c. 480
d. 360
71. There are 5 main roads between the cities A and B, and four between B and C. In how many ways can a
person drive from A to C and return, going through B on both trips without driving on the same road
twice?
a. 260
b. 240
c. 120
d. 160
72. The lotto uses numbers 1 - 42. A winning number consists of six different numbers in any order. What
are your chances of winning it?
a. 5,245,786
b. 8,437,224
c. 10,127,420
d. 2,546,725
73. How many ways can you invite one or more of five friends to a party?
a. 25
b. 31
c. 15
d. 62
74. There are four balls of different colors. Two balls at a time are taken and arranged in any way. How
many such combinations are possible?
a. 36
b. 3
c. 6
d. 12
75. A semi-conductor company will hire 7 men and 4 women. In how many ways can the company
choose from 9 men and 6 women?
a. 680
b. 540
c. 480
d. 840
76. In how many ways can a committee of three consisting of two chemical engineers and one mechanical
engineer can be formed from four chemical engineers and three mechanical engineers?
a. 18
b. 64
c. 32
d. None of these
77. In Mathematics examination, a student may select 7 problems from a set of 10 problems. In how
many ways can he make his choice?
a. 120
b. 530
c. 720
d. 320
78. How many line segments can be formed with 6 distinct points, no three of which are collinear?
a. 10
b. 15
c. 20
d. 25
79. How many triangles are determined by the vertices of a regular hexagon?
a. 10
b. 15
c. 20
d. 25
80. How many committees can be formed by choosing 4 men from an organization of a membership of 15
men?
a. 1390
b. 1240
 c. 1435
d. 1365
81. On a certain examination, the student must answer 8 out of the 12 questions, including exactly 5 of
the first 6. In how many ways can he write the examination?
a. 100
b. 495
c. 792
d. 120
82. How many different sums of money can be made from a penny, a nickel, a dime, and a quarter?
a. 24
b. 12
c. 15
d. 20
83. Tony went to a drugstore. He bought a bottle of aspirin and bottle of Tylenol. The aspirin cost Php 1.25
more than Tylenol. He also bought cologne cost twice as much as the total of the other two combined.
How much did the Tylenol cost if his total bill (without tax) was Php 24.75?
a. Php 4.50
b. Php 3.50
c. Php 6.25
d. Php 5.75
84. If an alloy containing 30% silver is mixed with a 55% silver alloy to get 800 pounds of 40% alloy, how
much of the 36% silver alloy must be used?
a. 450 pounds
b. 420 pounds
c. 460 pounds
d. 480 pounds
85. Lita has ten bills in her wallet. She has a total of Php 40.00. If she has one more Php 5 bill than Php 10
bills, and two more Php 1 bills than Php 5 bills, how many Php 10 bills does she have?
a. 4
b. 3
c. 2
d. 5
86. In how many ways 7 scientists be assigned to one triple and two double hotel rooms?
a. 210
b. 200
c. 300
d. 230
87. A woman went shopping for some canned goods which were on sale. She bought three times as many
cans of tomato sauce as cans of peaches and two times as many cans of tuna as cans of peaches. If she
purchased a total of 24 cans, how many cans of PEACHES did she buy?
a. 4
b. 3
c. 2
d. 5
88. A man invested Php 50,000. Part of it he put in an oil stock from which he hoped to receive a 20%
return per year. The rest he invested in a bank stock which was paying 6% per year. If he received Php
400 more the first year from the bank stock than from the oil stock, how much did he invest in the oil
stock?
a. 10,000.00
b. 20,000.00
c. 15,000.00
d. 13,000.00